Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Related legal acts

Key definition

Open source software definition

What does Open source software mean? In legal practice, open source software describes software made available in source-code form under licences that permit use, copying, modification, compilation and redistribution, typically without licence fees. It is not defined in UK or Irish statute or case law; the term is descriptive and aligns with the Open Source Initiative’s Open Source Definition. The governing rules are set by the licence. Permissive licences (e.g., MIT, BSD, Apache 2.0) allow broad reuse subject to retention of notices and attribution, often with an express patent licence and a warranty/liability disclaimer. Copyleft licences (e.g., GPL, LGPL, AGPL) require that modified or combined works...

Free and open source software (FOSS) governance and approval policy: licence compliance, IP/security risk management, and controls for use, modification, distribution and contribution

Published by a LexisNexis TMT expert

Precedents

This policy sets out how the company uses free and open-source software (FOSS), ensuring adherence to every software licence that governs its use. All employees must complete the actions described in this policy before commencing any work that involves a FOSS product or component. Typical scenarios where this policy is required include:

Using FOSS to create, maintain, or otherwise administer software applications, systems, servers, or networks
Including FOSS in proofs of concept, evaluations, pilot initiatives, or tools for network monitoring or debugging
Employing FOSS to implement a material upgrade or modification to an existing vendor product
Linking FOSS to the company’s network, or accessing FOSS from the company’s network
Rolling out any major upgrade or new release of previously approved FOSS, or applying FOSS to a use case different from that previously approved
Conducting due diligence on a prospective acquisition target (or an asset), or preparing for the sale of an entity (or an asset)

What is FOSS?

...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

DOWNLOAD THIS DOCUMENT

Web page updated on 22/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...